Showing posts sorted by date for query sandwich. Sort by relevance Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by date for query sandwich. Sort by relevance Show all posts
What I am sharing today is not a recipe per se. I am sure you don't really need a recipe for a tomato sandwich, and we all probably have our own ideas of what is the best tomato sandwich recipe.
I think my mother was the Queen of Tomato Sandwiches. I believe she had a tomato sandwich for her lunch almost every day of her life. She loved them and it is a love I very much share, however I probably would not have one every day for lunch.
.JPG "The Classic Tomato Sandwich")
To my way of thinking you need only very simple things to make a great classic tomato sandwich! Basically only 4, and if you make sure those are the best, then you are in for a real treat.
Good soft white bread. That is the first thing. You don't need anything fancy. No sour dough, or brioches, etc. Just good old plain soft white bread.
.JPG "The Classic Tomato Sandwich")
Some people swear by mayonnaise and that is surely an excellent choice. Myself, I love miracle whip on my tomato sandwiches. Its a personal preference really. I think miracle whip is slightly sweeter and it goes really well with tomatoes. In my opinion it brings out the best in a tomato.
I also like a nice fresh crisp lettuce on my sandwich, although certainly I have enjoyed tomato sandwiches without lettuce as well. For me it has to be simple, crisp, plain, old fashioned iceberg lettuce.
.JPG "The Classic Tomato Sandwich")
And finally you need a nice big fat ripe fresh tomato. I think beefsteak tomatoes make the best tomato sandwiches, but, having said that, I have been known to enjoy a tomato sandwich made with just about any fresh tomato.
Mom always kept her tomatoes on the counter top (before she cut into them). There was always one or two fresh tomatoes ripening on the counter top. Tomatoes are one fruit (and yes they are a fruit, not a vegetable) that continues to ripen at room temperature.
If you keep your tomatoes on the counter top when you bring them home from the shops, you will find that their flavor improves immensely after a day or so.
I think that they pick tomatoes just short of their prime so that they have a longer shelf life, and then they keep them really cold so that they stay that way. Leaving them on the counter for a day or so, improves their taste and texture greatly.
.JPG "The Classic Tomato Sandwich")
There is really only one way to make this sandwich. You can butter your bread or not, as you wish. I choose to butter because my tomatoes are usually really ripe and that helps to prevent the sandwich from being soggy.
You don't need a lot of butter, just a light covering.
Onto that I place a hefty schmear of Miracle Whip or mayonnaise. Only on the tomato side, but you can do both if you want to. I like to taste my spread and so I do spread it on rather thickly. I probably use about 2 tablespoons. (Don't judge me.)
.JPG "The Classic Tomato Sandwich")
Onto the plain buttered side, I layer the lettuce. I like to leave the lettuce in nice crinkly leaves. And I am not stingy with it either. I use a fair amount of lettuce.
On the miracle whip/mayo side I layer the tomatoes. I like to cut the slices of tomato fairly thin and use a lot of them, layering them on top of each other haphazardly. I like to cover all of the spread with a nice layer of ripe tomatoes.
.JPG "The Classic Tomato Sandwich")
Finally I season the tomatoes with plenty of freshly ground black pepper and a sprinkling of freshly ground sea salt. I love the pure flavor of sea salt. Call me a salt snob. I like sea salt.
And I have my favorites there as well. Maldon is my clear cut favorite. And I like it flaked.
.JPG "The Classic Tomato Sandwich")
Once you have both slices of your bread loaded you can slam them together. Here is when you will be glad that you buttered the lettuce side because your lettuce will hold in place and not slip and slide all over the place.
Press the bread down a tiny bit to make everything stick together. Don't smash it. Just press it down gently.
.JPG "The Classic Tomato Sandwich")
Its up to you whether you choose to cut it in half or not. Sometimes I do. Sometimes I don't. It all depends on how juicy the tomatoes are and how generous I have been with the miracle whip/mayonnaise.
If your tomatoes are really juicy you probably want to keep it all in one piece so that it isn't too overly messy. I like to enjoy my sandwich, not wear it. And, unfortunately, tomatoes can stain.
.JPG "The Classic Tomato Sandwich")
When I first moved over to the UK, I worked in a Care Home. I did some hours cleaning and I was also a kitchen assistant. This was while I was taking my college training as a Chef. There I learned to love cheese and tomato sandwiches.
I had never heard of a cheese and tomato sandwich before. It was, to me at any rate, an unusual combination.
But it was another, no bells and whistles needed, delicious simple sandwich. Buttered bread. Thinly sliced seasoned tomato, and freshly grated medium cheddar cheese. Delicious! Which reminds me I haven't had one of those in a while either.
The British love their sandwiches and they do sandwiches really well. So well that they have shops that are dedicated to just producing and selling them, and spots in the chiller cabinets of all their other shops dedicated to just sandwiches.
.JPG "The Classic Tomato Sandwich")
Maybe tomorrow. Today I am enjoying my classic, simple, delicious tomato sandwich. Every single mouthful. Oh how I love the summer months when we can enjoy an abundance of freshly grown local tomatoes.
They do have a huge edge flavorwise against their nursery farmed counterparts.
One final word. The best tomatoes I have ever eaten in my life were from the Isle of Wight in the UK. I used to get a box of them delivered to me every couple of weeks from a place called The Tomato Stall. They were absolutely lovely. Was I ever spoiled!
When it comes to home delivery of food the UK really does it well. I could get just about everything (Quality meats, cheeses, poultry, fish, vegetables, fruits, etc.) delivered right to my door, and quite affordably too. I miss that.
This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at: mariealicejoan@aol.com
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This delicious Greek Chicken & Cucumber Salad recipe is what summer eating is all about! Simple ingredients and fresh flavors, with minimal fuss!
Nobody wants to be spending all their time in the kitchen when they can be outside enjoying the warmer temperatures! Quick and easy recipes are the order of the day!
This recipe I am sharing with you today is one that I downsized from a recipe I found on the New York Times for a delicious Greek Chicken with Cucumber Feta Salad.
The original recipe served four people. There is only one of me and whilst I am keen to try new things, I don't want to be eating them four days in a row, although I can manage to enjoy it at least twice.
So I downsized it to feed only two people. I have also streamlined the instructions and made them a bit easier to understand. At least I think that I have!
This is built for two and deliciously keto, low carb and diabetic friendly as well!
.JPG "Greek Cucumber Salad")
What you have here is a delicious salad with very Mediterranean flavor and textures. Broken, bruised cucumbers, baby plum tomatoes, garlic, yogurt, feta cheese, salt and pepper.
I added a bit of red onion because I like the spark that it brings to the table, but you can leave it out by all means.
Something really wonderful happens to cucumbers when you bash them around a bit and bruise them. The exercise creates lots of rough edges which are perfect for soaking up all of that lovely yogurt dressing!
.JPG "Greek Chicken")
The chicken is likewise filled with flavor. Marinated for about 15 minutes in a garlicky yogurt and oregano marinade it becomes really tender.
I loved the garlic and herby flavor that the marinade gave to the chicken. It made the chicken really moist and juicy!
The chicken and the salad together were a brilliantly tasty combination!!
.JPG "Greek Chicken & Cucumber Salad")
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE GREEK CHICKEN & CUCUMBER SALAD
There is nothing spectacularly out of the ordinary here. Fresh an simple ingredients put together in an incredibly simple and delicious way!
For the chicken:
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of fat
- 1/2 cup (125g) Greek yogurt
- 1 clove garlic, peeled and grated
- salt and black pepper to taste
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- oil to grease the grill or grill pan
.JPG "Greek Chicken & Cucumber Salad")
For the salad:
- 3/4 pound seedless cucumber (Japanese, mini seedless or Persian)
- 1/2 pound ripe baby plum tomatoes
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup (65g) Greek yogurt
- 2 ounces (60g) feta cheese, crumbled
- 1/2 clove garlic, peeled and grated
- salt and black pepper to taste
- 6 Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
- thinly sliced red onions, optional
.JPG "Greek Chicken & Cucumber Salad")
You can use either full fat or low fat yogurt here. Both work well. I used fresh fat garlic cloves for this. My chicken was free range free from antibiotics chicken. I trimmed it of all the fat that I could.
I used dry oregano, but you could use fresh oregano. Just double the amount and chop it.
I used Kalamata olives in brine. I had to pit them and then tear them in half. Confession here, I always like to suck on the pits while I am working. They have loads of flavor in them.
.JPG "Greek Chicken & Cucumber Salad")
I used block feta cheese in brine that I found at the store which was made here locally in Nova Scotia. It was lovely. The brand is Holmestead. It has a lovely flavor and texture.
I have not been paid or given free product to tell you that either. I speak the truth as I find it. I am enjoying discovering new things now that I am back in Canada and I like to share them with you when I do.
I used local hothouse English cucumbers, which are all that are available to me in my small town, and baby plum tomatoes.
.JPG "Greek Chicken & Cucumber Salad")
HOW TO MAKE GREEK CHICKEN & CUCUMBER SALAD
This was really very simple to make. Whisk together the ingredients for the chicken marinade and then marinate it while you are making the salad.
The most unusual part of making this was the bashing of the cucumber to bruise and crack it. I had never done this myself. I had seen Molly Yeh do it on one of her programs the other day however and I was keen to try it.
I didn't have baby cucumbers, but I used half an English cucumber and just gave it a good bashing with the flat side of my meat pounder.
.JPG "Greek Chicken & Cucumber Salad")
Then I ripped it apart with my hands into small chunks, which sounds a lot more aggressive than it really was. I didn't bash it very hard, just bruised it and it broke apart very easily.
Apparently this helps to create nice craggy edges to help soak up all that dressing. Who knew?
Now that I have tried it I will be doing it regularly. I loved the resultant rough looking bits of cucumber! Much more interesting than flat cubes!
The dressing is made by mashing grated garlic, yogurt, crumbled feta and some seasoning together with a fork. Easy peasy, and oh so delicious. Do remember that feta cheese and olives are both very salty ingredients so be careful when salting the dressing.
.JPG "Greek Chicken & Cucumber Salad")
The marinated chicken is simply grilled until golden brown and down and then served along side of the salad. I grilled my chicken in my Cuisinart Griddler machine. I love the results it gives.
I had one of these in the UK which I used a lot and so it was one of the first things I purchased for myself back here in Canada. You can use either the ridged side of the plates, for grilling meats and panini, or the flat side for making pancakes, etc. It opens out flat for that purpose.
Its a really cool little machine. I have the waffle plates for it as well. Yummy!!
.JPG "Greek Chicken & Cucumber Salad")
Altogether this made for a really delicious and simple meal. It was quite healthy as well I think. I very much enjoyed it.
If you are looking for more chicken to grill might I recommend the following:
MORROCAN SPICED GRILLED CHICKEN & COUSCOUS SALAD - I love Moroccan flavours . . . cumin, coriander, cinnamon, garlic . . . lemon . . . olive oil . . . so delicious. Both the chicken and the salad benefit from them in this delicious summery recipe.
GRILLED PEANUT CHICKEN - A delicious marinade which yields a really tasty bit of chicken. I like to make extra marinade to dip the finished chicken in when I am eating it. Its just so tasty!
EASY CHICKEN GYROS - Gyros are a Greek sandwich which consists of grilled meat (chicken, lamb, beef or pork) which has been marinated in a delicious marinade prior to grilling, sliced and layered onto a flat bread along with some salad and some creamy Tzatzki sauce. These are quick, easy and most delicious!
Greek Chicken & Cucumber Salad
Yield: 2
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 20 MinTotal time: 30 Min
This is simple to make, delicious and filled with flavor. Boneless, skinless chicken thighs are marinated and then grilled to perfection and served along side a deliciously creamy and crunchy salad!
Ingredients
For the chicken:
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of fat
- 1/2 cup (125g) Greek yogurt
- 1 clove garlic, peeled and grated
- salt and black pepper to taste
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- oil to grease the grill or grill pan
For the salad:
- 3/4 pound seedless cucumber (Japanese, mini seedless or Persian)
- 1/2 pound ripe baby plum tomatoes
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup (65g) Greek yogurt
- 2 ounces (60g) feta cheese, crumbled
- 1/2 clove garlic, peeled and grated
- salt and black pepper to taste
- 6 Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
- thinly sliced red onions, optional
Instructions
- Mix the garlic and yogurt for the chicken marinade together in a bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the chicken, turning to coat it in the marinade. Cover and set aside while you begin the salad.
- Take the cucumber and bash it about a bit with the flat end of a meat pounder, until it is bruised and cracked. Tear it into 1/2 to 1 inch pieces and place into a colander along with the tomatoes. Add the salt and toss to combine. Leave to drain in the sink.
- Grease your grill or grill pan with a bit of oil. Heat to medium/high. Scrape off any excess marinade from the chicken and place into the grill/grill pan. Cook until it is well browned and releases easily from the pan on one side then flip and cook longer, until cooked through and the juices run clear. (5 to 7 minutes each side. If using a closed grill, 7 to 8 minutes altogether.)
- Leave to rest while you finish the salad.
- Measure the yogurt for the salad into a bowl. Add the garlic and feta cheese and mash well with a fork until you get a chunky paste. Shake the cucumbers to get rid of any excess moisture and add to the bowl along with the olives. Stir to combine and coat everything well. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. (Remember feta cheese and olives are salty.)
- Serve the grilled chicken with the salad on the side.
Thanks so much for visiting! Do come again!
One of my favorite sandwiches has to be the classic tuna melt sandwich. I have been making myself this delicious sandwich for years and years, even before I knew there was such a thing as a tuna melt!
Usually I make it in a skillet on top of the stove and its delicious. My own favorite creamy tuna salad, with lots of cheese and crisp buttery bread. Its fabulous!
.JPG "Air Fryer Tuna Melt")
This past year I bought myself an air fryer however and I am keen to use it whenever I can. I decided to try it out with making my tuna melt today and I can tell you now that I will never make a tuna melt any other way from now on!
Yes, It is that good! Seriously tasty!
.JPG "Air Fryer Tuna Melt")
And its not that the tuna salad is any tastier. It is the same old tuna salad recipe I have been making for eons. Tuna, mayonnaise, pickle relish and and a few other bits.
I haven't changed the cheese either. Its good old processed cheese slices. Perfect for a tuna melt.
.JPG "Air Fryer Tuna Melt")
Its the buttery, light, crispness of the bread! I mean wowza!! Wowza!! This is a game changer here.
The bread stays true to form, not squished in any way, and it is so light and crisp and buttery that it practically melts in the mouth!
This is some serious deliciousness here! Why didn't I think of this before!!!
.JPG "Air Fryer Tuna Melt")
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE AN AIR FRYER TUNA MELT
For the tuna salad:
- 1 (150g/5 ounce) tin of albacore tuna, packed in water, well drained and flaked
- 2 TBS mayonnaise
- 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 TBS pickle relish
- 1/4 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp celery salt or fine sea salt
- 1/8 tsp black pepper
.JPG "Air Fryer Tuna Melt")
You will also need:
- softened butter for spreading
- 4 slices white sandwich bread
- 3 slices processed cheese, divided
Simple ingredients as always!!
.JPG "Air Fryer Tuna Melt")
I always use Albacore Tuna. It has a lovely light color and a beautiful flavor. I have been buying it for 40 years now on the advice of an older Italian Nonna I met in the grocery store one day.
She saw the tuna I was buying and quickly told me, no buy. Its garbage. She said only buy Albacore, its the best, and so I did and I have never looked back.
She also told me that rounded blunt ended carrots were the sweetest and best. She was right on that score also!
.JPG "Air Fryer Tuna Melt")
Some of you may balk at my use of processed cheese slices for my tuna melt, but you know, what works works. And they taste good.
I do buy the really good ones. Kraft Extra Cheddar Cheese slices. They taste the best, and are more like American Cheese Slices, which are the best in my humble opinion. But we can't get them here.
.JPG "Air Fryer Tuna Melt")
Also, plain old wonder bread. White. It works best. You can try an artisanal bread if you want, but I think they get tooo crunchy and hard. Gum ripping.
Wonder white works best. Again, this is only my humble opinion. I know what I like and this is what I like.
.JPG "Air Fryer Tuna Melt")
HOW TO MAKE AN AIR FRYER TUNA MELT
Depending on the type of air fryer you have you will only be able to cook one of these at a time. Begin by making the tuna salad. Drain your tuna well, flake into a bowl and combine with the remaining ingredients well.
Butter one side of each slice of bread. Place one slice into the air fryer basket. Top with 1 1/2 slices of cheese, taking care that the cheese is not placed past the edges of the bread. Top with half of the tuna salad, spreading it out over the cheese. Place another slice of the buttered bread on top of the tuna salad, butter side up.
.JPG "Air Fryer Tuna Melt")
Place the basket into the air fryer and shut the door. set to cook at 380*F/193*C. Air fry for 8 minutes, flipping the sandwich over at the halfway mark.
The sandwich is done when the bread is golden brown and the cheese has melted throughout. Remove and keep warm while you cook the other sandwich.
Using a serrated knife, cut in half diagonally to serve.
.JPG "Air Fryer Tuna Melt")
Just look at how nice and crisp and buttery the bread turns out, and yet still soft inside. That tuna salad is perfect just the way it is. Not too much mayonnaise, just the right amount. And the cheese has the perfect amount of ooze.
In short, this is the perfect tuna melt. I really hope if you have an air fryer you will want to try this delicious sandwich out. I think I am going to try making a grilled cheese like this next.
If the results of this sandwich are anything to go by, a grilled cheese will be AMAZING done in the air fryer!
.JPG "Air Fryer Tuna Melt")
If you are on the hunt for a delicious sandwich today, here are a few of my other options:
CROISSANT TURKEY CLUB SANDWICH - I do love a good club sandwich, but they are often too large for me to manage to eat. This one, done on a flaky buttery croissant is not only delicious, but is the perfect size for my aging appetite!
WORLD'S GREATEST HAM SANDWICH - A tall claim to make, but I stand by it. With ham, tomatoes, lettuce, home picked onions, cheese and an herbed mayonnaise.
WORLD'S BEST BLT - Another tall claim that I stand by. Crisp bacon, crisp rocket leaves, sweet tomatoes, a tasty basil mayonnaise and a house dressing drizzle. All served on a rustic baguette.
Air Fryer Tuna Melt
Yield: 2 sandwiches
Prep time: 7 MinCook time: 8 MinTotal time: 15 Min
This air fryer tuna melt is so delicious! Crisp and buttery on the outside and filled with lots of tasty tuna salad and gooey cheese on the inside.
Ingredients
For the tuna salad:
- 1 (150g/5 ounce) tin of albacore tuna, packed in water, well drained and flaked
- 2 TBS mayonnaise
- 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 TBS pickle relish
- 1/4 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp celery salt or fine sea salt
- 1/8 tsp black pepper
You will also need:
- softened butter for spreading
- 4 slices white sandwich bread
- 3 slices processed cheese, divided
Instructions
- Depending on the type of air fryer you have you will only be able to cook one of these at a time.
- Begin by making the tuna salad. Drain your tuna well, flake into a bowl and combine with the remaining ingredients well.
- Butter one side of each slice of bread. Place one slice into the air fryer basket. Top with 1 1/2 slices of cheese, taking care that the cheese is not placed past the edges of the bread. Top with half of the tuna salad, spreading it out over the cheese. Place another slice of the buttered bread on top of the tuna salad, butter side up.
- Place the basket into the air fryer and shut the door. set to cook at 380*F/193*C. Air fry for 8 minutes, flipping the sandwich over at the halfway mark.
- The sandwich is done when the bread is golden brown and the cheese has melted throughout. Remove and keep warm while you cook the other sandwich.
- Using a serrated knife, cut in half diagonally to serve.
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